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I have a 2013 F150 with approx 120K miles. The A/C blows but sometimes takes 5 minutes of driving to kick into max blow and is not as cool as it was originally.
I was wondering if anyone could help me with diagnosing the problem and if this is something I can fix without taking it into the shop.
Pop the hood with the engine running and a/c off. Have someone turn the a/c on while you are watching the compressor clutch and radiator fans. Does your low speed fan kick on and continue to run while the a/c is on? Does the clutch engage and cycle on/off rhythmically?
You can also check your condenser coil for obstruction. If it needs cleaning, use low pressure water like a garden hose. You can blow holes in it and your radiator with a pressure washer.
In my experience, most vehicles lose up to an ounce a year of refrigerant to temp changes and minor, minor leaks. Have you have the AC recharged in the past 5 years? 5 ounces is enough to start to notice a difference in cooling ability.
As for fixing it yourself, AC work can be difficult without the right tools. Those magic bottles you grab at autozone dont accurately measure how much they add to the system, and overcharging can cause similar issues. If you do go that route, stick a thermometer in a vent and only add a very little bit at a time. Depending on overall heat and humidity, a good A/C system will be up to 40 degrees cooler than outside air.
His statement was a bit off. It based on the type of refrigerant, type of system, and return air to the system. The air outside is irrelevant except for the heat transfer equation that states as the delta T grows, the heat transfer rate increases. Nothing to do with the a/c itself.
^^^^^ yeah I get that, I actually work on residential ACs as part of my occupation never really got into automotive ac, I'll have to start dabbling ...maybe I can generate some side income
Gotta love them condensers on the roof especially now that our company is changing out r22 in a preemptive strike to save money down the road which I don't agree with but I do as they say
I'm a facility manager for an enterprise data center. The same theories that apply to our direct expansion units are the same that apply to automotive and residential DX. The size of the equipment just varies lol
I wonder where the OP went? Hopefully he has had time to do some troubleshooting.
especially now that our company is changing out r22 in a preemptive strike to save money down the road 
which I don't agree with but I do as they say 
